Post #408994

2026-02-19 19:07 UTC

Many of us know how bad modern cars are for privacy. Yet many of our friends and neighbors do not realize how intrusive it really is. I linked a blog entry from Mozilla’s investigation about car privacy. In that blog is a link to their make-by-make analysis. The amount of very intimate information a modern car collects is honestly appalling. It includes health data, real time mood information, weight gain or loss, and so on. And it does so even for passengers. The web has many resources talking about this problem, but almost no resources on what to do about it. I know the simple thing is to say, “just drive an old car bro!” That’s fine if you can, but not everyone can. Also it has drawbacks like more maintenance. Sometimes less safety if it’s older than certain safety features. For the purpose of this thread, it is more interesting to focus on newer, surveillance enabled cars which are the majority of what people drive on the road today. Some people have figured out how to bypass the surveillance package on some cars. One way is to uncouple the antenna it uses to phone home. Other times you can bypass the telematics module or remove a fuse that powers it. I feel like we really need a central model by model repository of information. Past that, how do we prove it has worked, if we do it? Has anyone reading this tried to use an RF detector to see if their car is still trying to phone home, after they have bypassed telematics? What are your experiences? I want to buy one and use it to test my own car, but the info on the web seems sketch.

Replies (16)

@artyom@piefed.social 2026-02-19 19:47

Depends entirely on your car make and model. On many models you can disconnect or remove the fuse for the telematics control unit (TCU) and it's as simple as that. However you won't receive any OTA updates that will likely solve problems. And if you reconnect to get them, there's no guarantee your car doesn't suddenly dump all your personal data obtained in the meantime onto company servers. Further I find it more and more likely that OEMs either already have or will add a ToS that requires you to keep all this stuff connected, and they'll argue that the data collection is part of the sale. Slate seems to be the only brand currently that intends to deliver vehicles with zero connectivity required.

Open ##1296305
@Swordinferno@lemmy.world 2026-02-19 20:04

It's designed to be hell. I primarily know about Honda's practices as a relative bought a new Honda and ran into the same issue laid out in [this article.](https://sherwood.news/tech/how-to-opt-out-of-the-privacy-nightmare-that-comes-factory-installed-in-new/) I drive a vehicle that's over a decade old and have joked with friends and family that if I have to buy a new vehicle I am ripping the whole dashboard out. I imagine I may get blacklisted from local dealerships for my demands, but that is the world we live in.

Open ##1296306
@deacon@lemmy.world 2026-02-19 23:45

When I had to reluctantly buy a used car, I made it a point to buy a used car no newer than 2015 and this is why. Well this and touchscreen mania.

Open ##1296307
@greatwhitebuffalo41@slrpnk.net 2026-02-20 01:07

I don't have the time or energy but if someone wanted to create a database with all the known ways to disconnect cars from relaying data for everything known searchable by make/model/year they'd be pretty fucking awesome.

Open ##1296308
@catdog@lemmy.ml 2026-02-19 19:44

Weird how Renault and Dacia scored least creepy, Nissan most creepy. They're in quite a tight alliance these days. Other than that, completely in line with big tech and governments: most US brands are more creepy than most European brands.

Open ##1296309
@Prove_your_argument@piefed.social 2026-02-19 20:29

I wish there was a solution for this, but it sounds like the only way to fix the problem is regulation. Good luck with that, we can't bribe this administration as well as the auto lobby can.

Open ##1296310
@nfreak@lemmy.ml 2026-02-19 19:30

We just got a new car, first "modern" one I've had basically ever, and this has been one of my biggest concerns since we got it, but there really don't seem to be any straightforward solutions yet.

Open ##1296311
@Thorned_Rose@sh.itjust.works 2026-02-19 22:29

Aside: don't buy into the myth that older cars need more maintenance or cost more to maintain. Its an excellent sales pitch to convince people to keep upgrading but it's not always reality. Modern cars can easily cost more to repair and maintain than older cars because more technology = more that can break. Car manufacturers have, over time, crammed more and more proprietary parts into cars which they can then charge exorbitant amounts for and force you to use their mechanics rather than your local. I have both an 25+ year old Toyota that's still going strong and still only needs basic maintenance (parts are also easily available and cheap). I also have an 'older' Nissan Leaf EV that is very little maintenance and has nothing in it that reports back to Nissan. It's got a nice balance of technology and most things we can maintain or repair ourselves if we want. Parts for this are also easily accessible and cheap. I also highly recommend people learn more vehicle maintenance themselves (easier of older cars with less tech) so you can either do things yourself and/or you've got more knowledge yo protect yourself from mechanics and car dealers who try to scam you by repairing/replacing things that don't need it.

Open ##1296312
@Eat_Your_Paisley@lemmy.world 2026-02-19 20:40

My next car will be an air cooled Porsche for many reasons this being but one.

Open ##1296313
@pir8t0x@lemmy.ml 2026-02-20 07:15

Spoiler: Not a single brand received Mozilla’s Best Of designation, though researchers identified Renault as the least problematic. The European brand must comply with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a stringent law governing the way in which personal data is used, processed, and stored.

Open ##1296314
@FineCoatMummy@sh.itjust.works 2026-02-19 22:27

I'm pretty new to Lemmy and noticed that my post was crossposted to fuckcars and privacy@programming.dev. I have no problem with that, but I didn't do it on purpose!

Open ##1296315
@RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works 2026-02-20 00:47

Look at Slate Auto if you are in the usa. I heard about this on the Privacy Guides forum. There is a possibility of them moving into Canada, which has got me interested.

Open ##1296316
@doodoo_wizard@lemmy.ml 2026-02-20 02:52

Sleeper old car for privacy: the gmt800-cateye full size Chevrolet/gmc pickups or suvs. You’d think they would be terrible for it because they often have onstar, but that version of onstar uses a 2g connection that literally isn’t in service anymore!

Open ##1296317
@Hiro8811@lemmy.world 2026-02-20 14:56

I already got a phone why do I need another one strapped to my car?

Open ##1296318
@phar@lemmy.world 2026-02-20 00:19

Some vehicles have privacy policies you can opt out of. What I'd like to know is if that works. https://faq.bmwusa.com/s/article/Can-I-delete-my-data-from-BMWs-systems-and-the-My-BMW-App-utvtu?language=en_US

Open ##1296319
@bowreality@lemmy.ca 2026-02-20 10:12

Still driving a 2010 because fuck them!!!

Open ##1296321